Monday, June 27, 2011

It was one of the first restaurants I visited when we moved to Knoxville. I could go on and on about why I like this place (friendly service, excellent food, fun atmosphere, and they cook with real hickory wood) but this post isn't about a restaurant review.

Nope. This post is about my interpretation of their hickory grilled pork chops with Six Shooter Cajun Butter that I had on a recent visit there with Alexis. (Forgive the photo quality. It was taken with a phone on their deck at night so the odd lighting is from nearby signs.)

Actually, I guess this is really just about the concept of pork chops and compound butter. It's an inspirational idea for grilling and perfect for the upcoming 4th of July cookouts.

This idea kicks butt because you can grill a bunch of pork chops all the same way for a crowd of guests. Then you let them individualize theirs with their choice of some compound butters from a "butter bar" that you made ahead. And you sit there looking like a grilling rock star!

First, make your compound butters. Tonight I made two. One is an attempt at Rafferty's Six Shooter Cajun butter and the other is Apple Pie Butter.

Almost Rafferty's Six Shooter Cajun Butter

1/2 stick butter, softened

1/4 tsp thyme

1/8 tsp black pepper

1/8 tsp cayenne pepper

1/8 tsp granulated garlic

1/8 tsp onion powder

pinch of celery salt

Mix together thoroughly with a fork. Scoop into 4 portions with a melon baller or teaspoon. Freeze for 15 minutes and then keep refrigerated.

Smoke the pork chops until they reach an internal temperature of about 135f. This took about one hour at a cooking temp of 250f. Next time I'd be tempted to go for around 300f to speed it up.

Now turn the heat on the grill up to 450f. If your coals have died down, you can add more pre-lit coals. Grill the chops over direct heat for about a total of 4 minutes, flipping half way through. You want them to be 140f when you pull them off.

Now these chops would be a solid dish as is. Perfectly acceptable and delicious.

But as soon as they come off and while they are ready to rest for 5 minutes, if you add a pat of the Apple Pie Butter....

Or the Almost Rafferty's Six Shooter Cajun Butter.....

NOW you have a flavor party! When you cut into that pork chop the butter and spices cascade down the meat and covers it with wall to wall "tastes so good". The silky smooth butter and juicy pork chop just make my mouth do back flips.

These butters are just two possibilities, but as the title implies, the possibilities are infinite. Play around with the taste combos and find something you like on your own.

21 comments:

I love the idea of the Apple Pie Butter...nothing goes better with pork than apple and brown sugar! Very nice write up! One thing I might add is to caramelize some vadallia onion, chop it up and add it to your apple pie butter...and maybe some cinnamon/nutmeg.I am gong to make this butter very soon:)

Every time I try to make those big fat bone in pork chops they turn out dry and odd. I even did a 6 hour brine a few weeks ago with the same result. Must be a slow cooking method that helps the texture. I love your pig cutting board and love the thought of that apple butter on a pork chop. Sounds like a great combination.

First off, yours look SO much better then the restaurant ones do... I know it might be the lighting, but you could at least give them a run for their money! That is a beautiful piece of pork Chris!Gonna definitely have to brine my pork in apple juice next time...Love that idea!

I'm intrigued by the possibilites here. I could wok-smoke my chops and then finish them on my stove top grill. I don't have an outdoor grill. And I have an electronic thermometer to help monitor their progress. Hmmm, think I've got a plan.

This looks delicious, Chris. I love compound butters, and have been using your APL technique and compound butter whenever I grill steak. I can't wait to try both of these compound butters! Thanks for sharing!